deceptive

adjective

di-ˈsep-tiv How to pronounce deceptive (audio)
Definition of deceptivenext
1
as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deceptive At 6ft 3in (190cm) with unconventional movement mechanics, he is likened to Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike for his deceptive play. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 22 July 2026 Massachusetts is acting to protect our fans by capping resale at 110%, banning speculative tickets and cracking down on deceptive websites. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026 Some of what has been shared isn’t so much deceptive as glitchy and odd. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 21 July 2026 On the other side of more deceptive releases are real artists, like singer and producer Natanya, whose music is distributed via Human Re Sources. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceptive
  1. misleading
  2. fraudulent
  3. false
  4. shady
  5. dishonest
  6. crooked
Adjective
  • Spanish officials have blamed traffickers for spreading similar misleading information, and there is a growing suspicion that Moroccan authorities initially failed to stop the crowds, intentionally allowing the surge to grow.
    — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Pruitt’s interest in opera is genuine, but the flourish is misleading.
    — Carson Griffith, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
Definition of misleading
Adjective
  • The new features include the Clear Skies Papermill Alarm, which helps identify potentially fraudulent manuscripts at submission.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 30 July 2026
  • In May, Percival directed DHS attorneys to pursue additional enforcement actions targeting fraudulent asylum claims.
    — Preston Mizell , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to stabbing four University of Idaho students to death and waived his right to appeal, is now seeking post-conviction relief by claiming his plea was false.
    — Chadd Cripe. Produced with AI assistance, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026
  • On Friday, Tench was arrested on 99 felony charges, which include 33 counts of bid-rigging, 33 of first-degree forgery and 33 of filing false documents.
    — Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of false
Adjective
  • Keep the cuttings in a shady site and mist several times a day to have plants ready for containers or other flower beds in about a month.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2026
  • These shady sites are great nap spots for rattlesnakes, which are common to the area.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • But 52% of employees in that same study believe their company's efforts to be empathetic are dishonest.
    — Dennis Kozak, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The state agency said clinic staffers had clients sign a personal injury waiver, which the commission said was unenforceable, against public policy and deceptive and dishonest.
    — Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 8 July 2026
Definition of dishonest
Adjective
  • Stankoven erupted for 11 goals and five assists in 19 playoff games en route to the Stanley Cup, and his impact was greater than his point production all season, shown by his crooked possession and play-driving numbers.
    — Harman Dayal, New York Times, 28 July 2026
  • The release encourages people not to use any card reader that looks loose, crooked, damaged or scratched, and to use tap-to-pay or chip technology whenever possible.
    — Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 27 July 2026
Definition of crooked

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deception
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Cite this Entry

“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceptive. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of deceptive for Spanish Speakers

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